FAMILY tctcrldeo. 



But I am unable to say whether lie had a grudge against 

 the bride or simply forgot his part 1 To speak frankly 

 about the musical ability of this bird, whose name fos- 

 ters rather sanguine expectations, it is proper to say at 

 once, that for so promising a fellow he is a fraud. His 

 voice is disappointing, wiry, and thin, and his attempts 

 are always unfinished. Therefore he cannot justly be 

 considered one of our best song-birds, even though Wil- 

 son seems to have entertained a fairly good opinion of 

 him. For he writes, "Though this species cannot I 

 of the powers of song which distinguish tha' ' haH>i 

 of day,' the Skylark of Europe, yet in richness of plu- 

 mage, as well as in sweetness of voice (as far as his feu* 

 notes extend), he stands eminently its superior." To 

 sum up his qualities in a few words, he gives us a feu- 

 whistles in clear, subtile, tremulous cadences which are 

 really very fine and sweet. But he is not to be com- 

 pared with the Wood Thrush in tone of voice, nor with 

 the Song Sparrow in variety of song-motive. He is a 

 delightful songster, however, and his fragmentary mo- 

 tives when connected together form an excellent bit of 

 melody; for instance, the song below (No. 1), which 

 came from a bird in Middlebury, "Vt., finds its response 

 in the melody previously given (marked with an asterisk), 

 from Wellesley Hills, Mass. The response is repeated 

 here, in No. 2. 



Moderate, 



The response fnm Wplleslpy Hilk.ntx 



Of all birds the Meadowlark is the most provincial; he 

 ranges over a vast territory, does not migrate very far 

 from his breeding place, or perhaps does not migrate at 

 all. As a consequence his character is perfectly reflected 

 in his song; that, too, is strikingly provincial. The birds 



ft 



